Zahra Hosseinkhani, Mozhgan Abbasi, Amaneh Khaleghi, Elham Kakavand, Nahid Yazdi, Hassan Reza Mohammadi Moein,
Volume 17, Issue 2 (Vol 17,No.2, Summer 2021 2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The spread of COVID-19 in the world has had adverse effects on all aspects of people´ life and social and economic development of the communities. The current study was conducted to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward COVID-19 in the general population of Qazvin province.
Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted on 1223 people above 15 years in Qazvin province between December and January 2020. We used multistage stratified random sampling to select the participants from urban and rural health centers. The questionnaires were completed by the patients as well as through phone interviews. The questions included demographic information and knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19.
Results: In total, 1223 subjects with a mean (standard deviation) age of 35.6 ± 12.2 years participated in this study. The scores of knowledge, attitudes, and practice were 68%, 72% and 91%, respectively. The lowest score of knowledge was related to awareness of common symptoms of the disease (6%). Forty-two subjects believed they observed the principles of disease prevention. A distance of 2 meters was observed by 50.3%. The scores of knowledge (P=0.007) and practice (P=0.028) increased with age, and the scores of knowledge (P<0.001) and attitude (P=0.001) increased and decreased with an increase in the education level, respectively. Males had significantly lower knowledge (P=0.002) and practice (P<0.001) scores. Moreover, rural residents had higher attitude scores compared to urban residents (P=0.002).
Conclusion: The results suggest that the general population of Qazvin province had desirable knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 at the time of the epidemic.
Zahra Jaafari, Zahra Abdolahinia, Hajar Ghasemi, Ali Esmaeilpour, Saeideh Mahmoodzadeh, Ali Bahaodini, Seyed Vahid Ahmadi Tabatabaei, Najmeh Safa, Hamid Reza Tohidinik, Ali Akbar Haghdoost, Ali Sharifi, Vahid Yazdi-Feyzabadi, Hamid Safari,
Volume 17, Issue 2 (Vol 17,No.2, Summer 2021 2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: low utility of health care services is one of the main determinants of not achieving desired health indicators in urban areas. This study aimed to investigate the barriers and facilitators of receiving health services from health centers in Kerman city, Iran.
Methods: This study was a qualitative study with a content analysis approach conducted in 2020. After selecting health centers with the experience of desirable or low utility services, purposive sampling continued until information saturation. A total of 78 staff members, recipients, and non-recipients of services citizens were interviewed semi-structured and face-to-face at health centers. All interviews were recorded and coded manually and then reviewed and analyzed using directional content analysis.
Results: The essential services for children and mothers, free services, and service providers' behavior were mentioned as facilitators of referral. Distance and physical factors, knowledge of different types of services, preference of private centers, time access, view of people on regular visits to centers, addresses and telephone numbers registered in the system, responsiveness to health needs, fear of disease disclosure, lack of human resources in the centers, and service providers' behavior, were among the barriers of visiting the centers.
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, an accurate understanding of the under-coverage people's views and perceptions can help national and local planners and policymakers design the necessary strategies to increase the use of health services in urban health centers.
